Disenchanted
by Shahrezad1
Summary: Moving to the big city is not all that it's cracked up to be. But every time she thinks about returning to Storybrooke broken memories stop her. So someone from her past comes to help her home. An AU RedXCricket fanfic, set after "Child of the Moon." A "what if a different choice had been made" kind of story.


Disenchanted

By Shahrezad1

Summary: Moving to the big city is not all that it's cracked up to be. But every time she thinks about returning to Storybrooke broken memories stop her. So someone from her past comes to help her home. An AU RedXCricket fanfic, set after "Child of the Moon." A "what if a different choice had been made" kind of story.

Disclaimer: Ruby is Red, Jiminy is Green, I don't own either, so please don't be mean. (Hey, it'd rhymed, didn't it? DIDN'T IT?!)

~/~/~

Her alarm went off with all the ferocity of a billion angry bees, a persistent press against her brain. Groaning, Ruby Lucas pounded the object in the hope of a reprieve but with no such luck—the ancient box dropped to the floor with an angry plop. And the only way to turn the thing off was to get up and grab it. By then the effort was pointless—she was already awake, whether she wanted to be or not.

And so began yet another day of her dreary new life.

The young woman sighed and forced her body into movement. First to retrieve the offending alarm and second to get ready for the day.

The uniform she wore for her job at _Claire's Diner_ was a mustard yellow dress that reached her knees, accessorized with black tennis shoes and white bobby socks. Her hair was pulled severely back, leaving her features—clean of makeup—a sea of harsh angles. In the past she might have tried some daring up-do or selected a tube of bold lipstick, but no more. That was in the past, and as much as she'd wished for attention in her youth that was how much she avoided it now.

A ratty brown trench-coat covered the glorious ensemble, complete with floppy hat in case of unexpected rain. Her eyesight had been having problems, too, so without a thought she slid a pair of glasses on as well. Then grabbed her purse and headed forth from the dank studio apartment toward the subway station.

She hadn't imagined that it would be like this when she'd dreamed of leaving Storybrooke. All her thoughts had typically involved breaking free from the constraints of her Grandmother's control and starting anew outside of the confines of the conservative town's censure. But daydreams involving "breaking free" didn't tend to take into account details like finding a job or paying rent. And with only waitressing experience under her belt she'd found herself stuck with a single choice of occupation open to her. But the position was the first in an unending circle of dead-end jobs that just sucked her deeper and deeper into the mire of self-loathing and despair.

And Ruby didn't know if she'd ever make it out again. Especially when all her imaginings were as unfocussed as butterflies. At this point she didn't even know _what_ she wanted.

The young woman chewed on the thought as she boarded the train, sitting down only to rise back up again as she gave a rickety-kneed grandmother her seat. A woman whom reminded her of her kin more than she was willing to admit.

Ruby wanted friends, that was for sure. For although she saw nearly as many regulars at _Claire's_ as she had at _Granny's,_ they were not nearly as friendly in manner. People in the big city simply didn't care, going about their lives as though trying to get them over and done with as soon as possible. No one smelled the roses and few if any befriended the lonely little waitress.

But it was more than just company that she needed. It was a decided amount of care and concern for her wellbeing. Honest joy at being in another person's presence. And maybe…just maybe, love.

The proverbial carrot-on-a-stick had always seemed just out of reach for her, at home or abroad. And she wondered long and hard what it would be like for another to truly cherish her—and not just based on physical appearances.

She'd run into enough sleezeballs to last her a lifetime, and Doc Whale was practically a gentleman when compared to a few of the creeps that she'd served recently.

Wondering just how many hands she'd have to swat away during today's shift alone, Ruby pulled a dime store novel from her bag in an attempt at ignoring the drunken Lech eying her from the other side of the car.

Staring at the same paragraph for what felt like an eternity, the train eventually came to a stop and the doors opened. _Claire's_ was a short distance from the station, most of its patrons a mix of traveling characters and local minimum-wage workers. Even the other waitresses were a combination of permanent residents and those seemingly passing through. Ruby had started as the latter, then slowly shifted to the former with time. Unfortunately.

Ducking into the diner involved a dangerous back door in a filthy alleyway, then into a kitchen as grim as the area outside. Acrid smells of bacon fat gone bad and greasy, burnt fries assaulted her sense of smell, but with a reflex born of experience she drew breath through her mouth until she could hang up her things in her locker. Her wallet and phone, however, ended up tucked in her uniform pocket—the only good thing about her workplace, she had decided, as they'd had a case or two of internal theft resulting in a raided cash register. But not once had she lost a single dollar at work, based on the simple protection of personal security.

Any more time for reflection disappeared the instant she clocked in, and then it was a sea of orders, reprimands, and the slapping away of grabsy customers. There were dishes to collect and tables to wipe down, the busboy currently sick with some sort of illness called _Gamer-itis_ (ha ha). And then it was suddenly eight-thirty and Ruby realized with a start that she hadn't eaten anything all day.

Opening her mouth, while cringing reflexively, she was about to ask for a reprieve when the head waitress—a woman that lived up to the whispered title of 'Iron Maiden'—beat her to it.

"Lucas! You got a customer. He's asking for you, special-like."

Her whole body drooped. _Great._ If they were asking for her in particular the likelihood of the customer being of the decent sort was slim to none. Sighing, the frazzled brunette turned while tucking some of her loose hair back behind one ear. But what she'd been about to ask—_what can I help you with today?_—tumbled from her lips unspoken.

Tweed and red hair, that's all she could see or think and then he was turning and she was launching herself into his arms, her own long limbs wrapping around his neck. Something clattered to the floor and with a distant blink she registered that it was his umbrella.

"Archie!"

"R-Ruby!" he stumbled back both literally and verbally, a laugh paired with her name. In an effort to keep them steady one hand went to the counter while the other wrapped around her waist. Tightly. She could practically feel the blush coming off of him, but she didn't give a hoot—here was a person that cared about her, specifically, and that's all that mattered.

"Hey, keep it down over there," the Matron de Iron called out crankily but Ruby gave her no mind, hugging him all the tighter until she wasn't sure where she ended and he began. Doctor Hopper seemed just as delighted to see her, releasing the countertop in favor of clasping both arms around her waist, a slight rock back and forth soothing them both.

But no moment could last forever and soon—far too soon—Archie drew back to look down at her. Just as he was about to say something, a myriad of emotions flickering across his face, she called over her shoulder in a shadow of her past self.

"I'm taking my break now!" there was no asking or permission involved as the waitress promptly tugged her visitor to a nearby booth behind her. Then got up just long enough to throw together a fountain drink for him, before plunging back down again. The steel-haired supervisor huffed but let it go—the evening crowd was slowing down anyway, what with their return home from work.

Archie followed her willingly, his freckled hand wrapped around hers, and only paused a moment to retrieve his umbrella. Some things never changed, and she was all the more glad for it. But then the joyous reunion ended and she realized—with a start—that she didn't know what to say.

Reaching up to tuck her flyaway hair behind one ear, only to realize that she already had, Ruby stared at the Formica table. Only then observing that he'd never let go of her hand. It had just felt so natural, like they were meant to be within each other's grip, and therefore she hadn't noticed. Ruby extracted her polish-less fingers and tried not to droop—it had been _so_ long since she'd experienced willing human contact.

He seemed to feel the same sort of loss she did and swallowed awkwardly, his voice thick and hoarse, "how have you been, Ruby?"

"I've been…" the word 'good' died on her lips, as she felt like it was too much of a lie to be spoken, "I've been okay. Surviving."

"You always were good at that," he responded without a hint of irony. Only soothing adoration pouring from his expression. She blinked and just as suddenly it was gone.

"Yeah, I've got my job…and my apartment. A new cell phone, since the old one got run over."

His lips twitched into a smile, "w-well, that would explain why I got Spanish when I called."

They shared a chuckle at that, and Archie idly took a sip of his drink before grimacing at the strong carbonation.

"And you," she asked in turn, touching the top of his hand in question, then swiftly pulling back, "how've you been, Doc?"

"…lonely," was his eventual response, and something within her leapt as he maintained eye contact, "there's not much for a psychiatrist to do in a town like Storybrooke."

"Not even date?" she asked idly, even as she wondered at what she was saying. But it seemed…right. So she didn't question the oddness of the query.

"Everyone worth dating left."

"I'm sure you'll find someone," she said, trying to draw attention away from her sudden and fierce blush. But that didn't last long as his fingers gripped hers. Ruby looked up involuntarily only to meet solemn blue eyes.

"R-Ruby. You have to come back home. Your Grandmother misses you," he pleaded. But she only shook her head.

"No she doesn't. No one misses rebellious ol' Ruby."

"_I_ miss you."

Green eyes jumped back up, "what did you just say?"

It was Archie's turn to look away, face suffused with vivid color. He tried to pull back but she was having none of that.

"Archie…"Ruby asked with a hint of her old self in the query. Reaching out with her free hand, she gently took his chin her grip and shifted it so that he faced her fully. The man didn't put up much of a fight, but neither did he raise his downcast eyes, "did you just say that…you missed me?"

He swallowed uncomfortably before nodding. Hoarsely, Hopper admitted what he couldn't quite deny, "m-more than you know, Ruby."

The redhead rested his fingers against the hand that had shifted to his cheek before withdrawing completely, taking a deep breath with him as he did so. Then the psychiatrist leaned forward, palms out to emphasize his earnestness, "look, you have to come back. I…we're not whole without you."

She looked away, wiping futilely at a stain on her apron then tugging on a loose thread hanging from her uniform, "I just don't see how that can ever happen. Not with the way I left hanging over me."

Which she couldn't quite remember as a whole, oddly enough. Ruby recalled the feeling, yes, but every time she tried to rewind the moment she was struck down by irrational bursts of…fear and anguish. Loneliness and horror. Self-loathing. Her mind must have buried it within her subconscious, deep enough to keep the memories from hurting, she rationalized. Like an exposed wire that was painful to the touch.

What she had done…must have been horrific.

Which is why she couldn't go back.

Feeling tears well up in her eyes, Ruby Lucas blinked rapidly and thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't wearing any mascara. Then with a toss of what little hair she had down, she pantomimed her old self and reached across the table to take a sip of Dr. Hopper's drink. Lips landing squarely where his had sat, the disturbed condensation an easy marker.

Archie swallowed and tugged at his tie.

"_Ruby_…"

"_Archie_," she mocked back, smirk a faint whisper of its former glory.

He breathed in deeply, looking down and lips pursing till they were nearly twice their normal size. She could see the ginger's eyes scanning back and forth in thought before nodding, once, as though coming to a decision.

"R-Ruby," the good doctor began as he fixed his expression on hers. His eyes were a clear, determined pale blue behind tortoiseshell glasses and Ruby took in a sharp breath as they were leveled on her, "being a psychiatrist, I have always taken pride in being as honest in my dealings as I can be. Without the intent to be cruel, of course," he tempered slightly as the young woman thought about the line between honesty and bluntness. Granny hadn't always appreciated Ruby's version of 'Honesty' while growing up. She bit back a smile.

"And I believe that in this situation it is of utmost importance that I be completely truthful," the redhead went on, swallowing.

She frowned, reaching across the table to clasp his hand again, "alright, I can buy that. Um, go ahead, Archie," she halted him for a second, however, "wait, you're not going to tell me that Granny had another heart attack, are you?"

His smile was relieved in the negative, "no, no. Not that." A beam and the shake of his head reinforced the doctor's words.

"Good. Alright then," she slapped the top of one of his hands lightly, "shoot."

"Ruby, I…" he gnawed at his lower lip, looking away and back, "you know that story of Henry's? About the entire town being made up of fairytale characters?"

"Yeah, what about it?" she knew that that story was what resulted in Regina throwing the kid in therapy, but it really wasn't a secret to anyone—the boy had tried to explain his theory to anyone what would listen, and Ruby was more than accustomed to other people's tales.

"What if I was to tell you…that it was true?"

The skeptical look Ruby gave him asked what that had to do with anything.

"N-now, hold off on the doubt, Ruby, and just imagine. And then tell me, if you were a fairytale character…who would you be?"

Surprised at the request, she sat back against the bench and pondered the question.

Well, there was Cinderella and Snow White and Belle and Aurora, all familiar characters from her childhood and just the beginning of a list as long as Santa's reindeer. But although each name made her smile, they didn't really seem to _fit_.

"I don't know," she hedged, body wigging back and forth, "maybe Megara or something. Heck of a tragic back-story, though, if you know the real myth."

"And if I said that Henry happened to mention his theory regarding _your_ past, and that it involved Little Red Riding Hood, how would you react?"

The psychiatrist was watching her carefully, as though waiting for some alarm to go off. But other than a lurch in her middle, which could have been attributed to any number of things, and a brief feeling of wooziness there was nothing.

Ruby put a hand to her head to stem the coming headache and shrugged, "well, that's cool I guess. Especially as I like wolves and the color red and all. It's a shame that I had to leave my little wolf charm behind with my car, especially. I hope that Billy's taking good care of it for-."

A sudden wave of something black and acidic backhanded her emotionally and Ruby reeled, grasping the table to keep from collapsing where she sat. As the spots finally cleared from her eyes and her breathing evened out the waitress realized that she hadn't grabbed at the table but rather Doctor Hopper's arm. The young woman released the appendage, but reluctantly so. And before her the dedicated professional watched with obvious concern.

"Are you okay, Ruby?"

"I-I'm fine," she murmured, "It was just something that I…_didn't_ eat."

His worry doubled in an instant, "y-you haven't eaten anything? When was the last time you…?"

"I had a granola bar on the train," the brunette shrugged eloquently, "I've just been on my feet all day, working a double."

"Ruby, let me get you something. I-."

"It's fine, Arch," she smiled at him and stole another sip of his drink, which seemed to settle her stomach some, "besides, it's not like I haven't _already_ been sneaking your food."

"True enough," his lips stretched in a shadow of a positive expression, but it still seemed wooden, the creases at the corner of his eyes deepening still.

"Anyway, what were we talking about?"

"Red Riding Hood," he said mournfully, whole body drooping as though dealing with a loss. And Ruby instantly felt her migraine coming back on. With red flashing behind her eyes. She closed the lids and pinched the bridge of her nose until the feeling went away.

"This isn't working," the man whispered from across the table, sounding despondent.

"What isn't? she forced her green eyes open, blinking them a few times until the two psychiatrists sitting before her settled into only one.

He didn't respond for a moment, worrying his teeth at his bottom lip and for some reason Ruby couldn't look away.

The Doc had some very kissable lips, she decided. And smooth cheeks, should she get the desire to place her palms against them again. His lashes were long, too, and Ruby had to wonder why she had never noticed these very important details before.

It was an eye opener, as though she was seeing him as a man for the very first time. And he just seemed so very _earnest _and determined in whatever it was he was trying to talk to her about.

"If I…" the ginger interrupted her thoughts, his features and motions tentative as though approaching a skittish animal, "that is, will you permit me to test a theory, Ruby?"

Her thin shoulders dipped into a shrug, "sure. Well, it depends on the theory."

"Do you believe in fairytales?" he blurted out.

"Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, I don't believe all that stuff about magic but the stories must have come from _somewhere_. They're meant to _warn_ and to _teach_, right?"

"Right, of course," Doctor Hopper agree quietly, nodding and looking away, "and curses. Do you…do you think that they can be broken?"

Curious question, she thought as she gave him an odd look out of the corner of her eye, "I believe that good always wins. At least, _eventually_. And that true love can drive people to do some amazing things."

"Do you? Really?" he near-whispered, eyes intent on her face. And this time Ruby found it hard to swallow.

"Of course. I mean, you have to have _hope_ that there's good in this world, right? Otherwise what are we all fighting for? Happiness, love, the whole shebang."

He said nothing at that, again chewing maddeningly on his lower lip and looking back at her and away. Ruby sighed.

"Look, Arch, why don't you just tell me what you're really trying to say. What's with all the beating around the bush and the metaphors?"

"Ruby, I just…just," he began with an exasperated huff, due to himself and his own actions or the situation in general she did not know. And then he reached forward across the middle distance and pulled her mouth to his in a kiss.

Ruby's first response was complete and utter shock. The shock that she herself possessed as well as a reflection of the shock that her coworkers must be feeling, their eyes upon her back.

And then she was melting into the embrace, stretching forward in order to meet Archie in the middle. Until only the table between them, biting into her stomach, kept her from straining more. The waitress hardly seemed to notice.

Neither did Doctor Hopper, his surprisingly calloused hand cupping her cheek, thumb caressing the delicate bones there. The only pause which occurred was when his glasses tapped against hers, but they easily compensated.

And just as she was warming into the kiss a wave of something rushed through her, _from her_, loose hair fluffed and lights flickering behind closed eyelids. Warmth blossomed within her chest and then spread outward down her limbs till meeting toes and fingertips. She tingled all over, and with the feeling of absolute love there came flashes of thought. No, _memory!_

There she was with her parents, a child, then later with her grandmother. And Peter—oh, how she had loved him! And what she'd done to him…she could never make restitution for that. But there was forgiveness in the warmth, telling her to let it go. To embrace…she was to embrace…this.

Archie. Jiminy. Her best friend and an insect no more. How could she have forgotten _this?_ This closeness of feeling, of affection and adoration, both in the past as well as in the present, his human form a mix of the Cricket she used to know and the man he was now. And she'd nearly lost him, all because of…

Red broke away with a sob, remembering everything and especially _why_ she'd left.

"No, No! Billy…it's my fault. I…"

One the verge of crying, she tried to break away, but her closest friend held her still, one hand holding her chin now and the other grasping her shoulder.

"No, Red," Jiminy stated forcefully, "you _didn't do it!_ It's _not_ your fault."

"I…I didn't?" she questioned, voice cracking, "but then, who…?"

He looked away, muttering something wordlessly before turning back to her, thumb brushing away a single tear that had escaped, "it was King George. He was trying to rally the town against Charming. You were just a sacrificial lamb."

"Poor choice of words," Red choked out, still seeing the vision of Billy's mutilated body in her mind's eye, "and Billy, poor, poor Billy."

"I know," Archie spoke softly , looking aged and mournful, "but you have to let it go. His death was not your fault. The man responsible has been imprisoned. A-and the barrier! Emma found a way to null the barrier so that…"

The young woman stilled, mouth open slightly and eyebrows pinched as she looked her rescuer in the eye, "…so that you could come and find me. Save me from…from…_this_ _fate._"

Her arms were spread to encompass the diner, her apartment, and what had become of her life. By this point Archie/Jiminy had drawn away, and she could see his shoulders visibly drop as though a heavy weight was being removed, his light eyes soft.

But…he _had_ saved her, made her _remember_, and the _way_ that he had done it seemed the most important part of all.

Eyes widening, the waitress pointed at him shakily, swallowing the frog that had suddenly developed in her throat, "wait, if you were able to come through and then you broke the curse of forgetting which was on me because of the barrier, then that means…"

The redhead paled dramatically, a panicked expression appearing on his face, "now, now, Red, there's no need to jump to any conclusions…"

She ignored his words, surprise morphing into something else. Something joyful and wondering and a tad bit satisfied, as though figuring out a puzzle after _years_ of confusion, "that was _True Love's Kiss_, wasn't it, Jiminy?"

"No, I, ah, I mean," he laughed self-deprecatingly, voice cracking as he did so. Then the man attempted to scramble out of the booth without tripping on his umbrella. Around them the other diner patrons were too busy trying to explain the weird burst of wind and light which had occurred to notice their extended exchange.

"It's not, well,…um, hello," whatever denials he had been attempting to throw together came to an abrupt end as the psychiatrist found his dinner companion suddenly very, very close. Her unvarnished nails burning five separate dots of heat through his overcoat, sweater and button-up shirt to the man beneath. And her eyes were half-lidded and as green as a midsummer field. Promising much more than just a joyful season, but also a fruitful harvest.

"You love me, as both Archibald Hopper_ and_ Jiminy Cricket," she whispered, hand going flat against his racing heart. Which she could hear plainly despite the layers between them, her wolf senses rushing back in full force, "and for a spell-breaker like that, it takes two to tango, doesn't it?"

"Well, I um…"

Her grin was triumphant, "which means that I love you, too. You were willing to bet it all on the chance—the tiny chance—that Red _and_ Ruby love you just as much back as you love them."

He ducked his head, neck and ears taking on the color of his hair. But hope peeked out from his puppy-dog eyes.

"Yeah," he breathed.

A smile bloomed across her features as Red's hand followed its course up his chest and to his neck, pressing skin to skin as his curls brushed her fingertips.

"And if worked, didn't it?" she prompted, the trick question applied with a hint of a smirk.

"Yes," he said quietly, looking at her fully now. No longer denying the truth in any way, "it did."

A bit of the wolf peered out from half-lidded eyes as she whispered, inches away, "then what are we doing here?"

The hand on his neck tugged him forward for a deep kiss. Soon there was only her and him in it, the world around them and all its dreary cares falling away.

That is, until an angry clearing of a throat drew them back down to earth.

"Time's up, Lucas. Back to work!"

The two fell back sharply, as though doused with cold water. And then Ruby-Red smirked, looking feral and triumphant and everything wonderful to his eyes.

"You know what," she began, turning on one sensible heel to make eye contact with the Iron Maiden standing behind her, "I quit. Yep, I quit."

Untying her apron, and making sure she still had both wallet and phone, the brunette walked over to the woman and handed it to her, nodding her head, "I'll ship the rest when it's clean. 'Cause I've had enough of this job."

"And besides," Ruby continued cheerily, "it's about time I got married. Bye!"

Waving a hand a tad too happily at her former overseer, the werewolf proceeded to drag her new beau out the door (but not before he could slap a couple of dollars down on the table for the drink). Sure, she'd left her coat behind but it was cheap thrift store item—and besides, he could keep her warm.

Sighing heavily, she proceeded to do just that, lifting Archie's attached arm in order to drape it over her shoulder and tucking herself against his side. And then they walked in serene silence, just the two of them going who-knows-where but with Storybrooke as their eventual destination.

He, however, wasn't silent for long, "w-what was that about getting m-married?" Archie-Jiminy stuttered against her hair, his heart rate going a mile a minute against her ear.

Ruby smirked up at him through smiling eyes, "you didn't really think that I was going to let true love slip through my fingers _again_, did you?"

The former cricket gaped a moment or two until it morphed into a beaming smile, "no, I suppose not."

"Besides," she purred against his coat, snuggling closer and smiling, "Granny's waited long enough for great-grand puppies, I think."

A pause and then, "w-what was t-that?!" his voice cracked dramatically. Red merely laughed, hugging him tighter still.

"Nothing, oh, nothing."

~/~/~

AN: This was meant to be a Christmas present for all the RedCricketeers out there. Of course, it didn't quite end up that way. –embarrassed smile- I tried and that's what counts, I suppose. This idea came into being before I saw Billy/Gus Gus dying during the "Child of the Moon" episode, but after that occurred the reality fit right in with the concept I was playing with so I just overlapped the two.

The concept being, of course, a situation in which Ruby might leave Storybrooke, forgetting everything, for everyone's good. But what if something had been developing between Red and Jiminy that she didn't remember when they were Ruby and Archie? Would that love transcend the character barrier created by having a separate personality? Or would her heart and soul remember, even if her head didn't?

Just wanted to play with the idea, and I'm happy with how it turned out. :)

Also, there's a Singlebrooke reference thrown in there, just for fun: "At this point she didn't even know _what_ she wanted."


End file.
